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121115 | Former Guardian boss Ron Hill dies

Spotted in the The Cornishman, Thursday 15 November 2012

Former Guardian boss Ron Hill dies

Thursday, November 15, 2012

West Britonhttp://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/West-Briton-s- managing-director-Ron-Hill-dies/story-17327939- detail/story.html#">

A FORMER reporter, sub-editor and managing director of the West Briton and Cornish Guardian has died.

Born at Angarrack and later living at Greenbottom, Ronald Hill left Truro School to spend 40 years in journalism and management in a notable regional career with Northcliffe Newspapers.

He joined the West Briton at its then Boscawen Street office in September, 1957, and soon began making his mark. After a few years he was a parliamentary reporter with the Press Association in London.

Married to Dawn Bennetts – they met as young farmers – the couple returned to Cornwall and a home in Highland Park, Redruth, where their sons Rodney and Jeremy were born.

Mr Hill was a sub-editor with the Western Morning News, travelling daily to Plymouth and often seeing the paper to "bed" in the early hours.

In the late 1960s he became the West Briton's co- district reporter for Camborne-Redruth and Helston. Mr Hill was also the paper's motoring correspondent, a job he relished as he had a lifelong love of cars.

Living at Martinvale Avenue, Redruth, he was constantly moved to other Northcliffe papers.

After a time as managing editor of the Cornish Guardian, he returned to the West Briton as managing director.

In 1992 his journalistic and managerial skills led him to be managing editor of the North Devon Journal and to oversee the Gloucester Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo. He retired as chairman in 1997 with ill health.

It was while with the Cornish Guardian in 1985 that he helped Geoff Newman form the First Air Ambulance Service Trust and became its chairman.

Mr Hill and his wife, who were married almost 50 years, made their home at Bideford, where he continued to enjoy family, including three grandchildren, cars, playing the piano, good eating, crosswords and keeping abreast of the news. He passed away at his home in Bideford, aged 73.